Ubuntu on PS3 issues

[inee]

hi,

its been maybe ten years since i've gone on a red hat terminal, so treat me as a noob.

im trying to install ubuntu onto the ps3. i got fedora and yellow dog running; but my ultimate goal is to get ubuntu and darwin on the machine. im running into several roadblocks and hope the more experienced members here can lead the way.

a guide for ubuntu on ps3 was written here:

http://louiscandell.com/ps3/

but it goes through several steps and requirements that i think we can skip. it requires that you install ubuntu on a usb hdd where you can partition it, PLUS, it also requires fedora as a base install, then cross-installing onto debian and then upgrading to ubuntu.

i want a simpler way where i can install ubuntu from kboot prompt with a dvd-rom installer ready.

keep in mind there are a few things that make the ps3 installation different:

1. the ps3 boots into kboot only. cannot boot from hdd and cannot boot from cdrom or usbdrive.

2. only 1 partition available: /dev/sda (i imagine parted can fix this)

3. ppc architecture



okay, some issues i want cleared.

1. can i modify kboot to load the cdrom such that i can install from the cdrom? if this is possible then i can just plug in the installer cd (whether ubuntu, osx, or darwin) and let it run its course.

2. can i do without partitioning the hdd? id imagine just making a /ubuntu folder and installing everything there. the guide above requires partitioning of the hdd which the ps3 does not allow by default (although yellow dog's druid was able to do it).

3. can kboot boot ubuntu instead of yaboot? in that case, can kboot boot darwin/osx too (darwin/osx requires bootx)?

4. i get this error:

w: failure trying to run: chroot /mnt/ubuntu mount -t proc proc /proc

after typing this:

/usr/sbin/debootstrap --arch powerpc edgy /mnt/ubuntu http://archive.ubuntulinux.org/ubuntu

specifically after "i: validating libatu1" step. what does that mean and how do i fix it?


this error happens after i chose "minimal fedora install". i dont get it when i choose the full install (2.5hrs wait); but the guide above states to use the minimal install.



all the help is greatly appreciated. hope i can get ubuntu running NATIVELY on the ps3 without an external usb hdd.

[inee]

okay i finally got ubuntu installed on my ps3 NATIVELY on its HDD (compared to the guide by candell (http://louiscandell.com/ps3) with an external usb hdd).


i sort of followed the guide above but omitted and changed some steps mainly:


1. downloaded all required files and burned on cd/dvd
2. installed fedora
3. skipped the disk partitioning step
4. debootstrap debian on ps3 hdd on a folder named /mnt/ubuntu
5. copied fedora's kernel and stuff
6. edited system files like kboot to add /mnt/ubuntu
7. installed xubuntu desktop (ubuntu would not resolve dependencies)

and voila!


i think im the first who has done it.

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c110/inee666/01-10-07_1015.jpg

all i need now is a hdmi cable to display on my 1080i hdtv so i can get into gdm.

[dkeav]

you can pickup hdmi cables about anywhere, so get to it and post pics :)

and don't forget to hand out shell accounts :p

[inee]

yep, got some for 10$ on ebay. will probably get them tomorrow or the day after next. will post pics of gdm once i get there.

once ive done that, its off to gentoo. then darwin. mwahahaha.

[dkeav]

uhhh not to sure how much luck you are going to have porting darwin to ps3, darwin doesnt have support for much hardware outside of the apple realm, since its not really meant to run on any other hardware, but its always worth a try

[MastaShake57]

If it's cheap HDMI cables you're looking, go no further than http://www.monoprice.com.

I have a PS3 and I bought mine from there.

[inee]

cool, great site. thanks for the referral.


how is the shipping, customer service and turnaround time?



dkeav - torvalds included many ps3-enhanced support in the latest kernel. i hope that maybe cross-installing with darwin with a prayer that openBSD did the same thing could help the ps3 run os x.

[dkeav]

uhh ok i dunno what openbsd has to do with that, not using a mach kernel and all, but even if you were to get osx/darwin to run on a ps3 you dont have any drivers for its hardware, so it would be completely useless

[inee]

uh, darwin/osx is a derivative from freebsd 5 and mach kernel 3. :eek:


http://developer.apple.com/opensource/index.html

[dkeav]

no shnit sherlock, so what does that have to do with openbsd, considering its a derivitive of netbsd, and what does the freebsd userland part of darwin have to do with drivers for the mach kernel, further more where did i stutter?

if you are a good enough kernel hacker to port linux kernel code over to a mach kernel, more power to ya

[goon12]

I realize this thread is pretty old, but I just found this on developerWorks:
http://www-128.ibm.com/developerworks/linux/library/pa-linuxps3-1/index.html?ca=drs-

[inee]

dkeav - the ps3 runs on a powerpc-derived architecture, same as what darwin runs on. although complete driver support especially for open-source is scarce and few/far-between, you can expect main component support for the latest kernel since newworld mac ppc designs were used to derive the cell broadband engine. if darwin runs on the mach kernel supporting ppc, then it can run on the cell which is a glorified ppc architecture. oh, and, there are a lot of openbsd ports in every linux distro--openssh being one of them.

if someone can get darwin to run on ps3 i guarantee you that a multitude of people will be on it as well--that means a lot more open-souce contributions in the form of drivers.

[dkeav]

ok, whatever, enjoy

[pearcjo]

I'm having trouble installing fedora core 5/6 on my ps3. The issue I keep coming upon is at the kboot prompt. I have both os as iso files on dvd's, but whenever i type install-fc sda at the prompt and say yes the disc is in the drive, its still saying its unable to find it? Any suggestions would be much appreciated, thanks

[XiaoKJ]

pearcjo, I believe you should start your own thread --- ubuntu and FC are quite different beasts...

[dkeav]

and you shouldnt have iso files on the dvd, you need to reburn your dvd's properly, use growisofs

when you burn a linux cd you wont see an iso on the disc, you will see files (ie the contents of the iso) on the disc

[SeanoVox]

Hey any luck with darwin yet.?